Begonia plant named ‘Sunjirared’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Sunjirared’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; and numerous single bright red-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Begonia×tuberhybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNJIRARED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×tuberhybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunjirared’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Narusawa-mura, Minamituru-gun, Yamanashi,Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compactand freely branching Begonia plants with a mounding plant habit andattractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Narusawa-mura, Minamituru-gun, Yamanashi, Japan in June,2007 of a proprietary selection of Begonia×tuberhybrida identified ascode number FC04Cr314N, not patented, as the female, or seed, parentwith a proprietary selection of Begonia×tuberhybrida identified as codenumber FC04Or312N, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newBegonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled environment in Narusawa-mura, Minamituru-gun, Yamanashi,Japan in July, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by cuttings taken in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Narusawa-mura, Minamituru-gun,Yamanashi, Japan since July, 2007 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunjirared’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunjirared’ as a new and distinct Begoniaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Numerous single bright red-colored flowers that are held        above and beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have thicker stems than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have smaller male flowers than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have darker red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have larger leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger male flowers than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants ofBegonia×tuberhybrida ‘Firecracker Orange’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Narusawa-mura, Minamituru-gun, Yamanashi,Japan, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of‘Firecracker Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more compact than plants of        ‘Firecracker Orange’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had shorter internodes than plants        of ‘Firecracker Orange’.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia had shorter leaves and leaf        petioles than plants of ‘Firecracker Orange’.    -   4. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Firecracker Orange’ differed        in leaf and leaf petiole color.    -   5. Plants of the new Begonia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Firecracker Orange’.    -   6. Plants of the new Begonia had larger male and female flowers        than plants of ‘Firecracker Orange’.    -   7. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Firecracker Orange’ differed        in flower color as plants of ‘Firecracker Orange’ had orange        red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunjirared’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close up view of atypical flower of ‘Sunjirared’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the late summer/early autumnin 12-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan under commercial practices. During the production of theplants, the day temperatures averaged 23° C. and the night temperaturesaveraged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×tuberhybrida ‘Sunjirared’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Begonia×tuberhybrida identified as code number FC04Cr314N,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Begonia×tuberhybrida identified as code number FC04Or312N,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at            temperatures of 17° C. to 28° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at            temperatures of 14° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days            at temperatures of 17° C. to 28° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at temperatures of 14° C. to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; plants of the new Begonia            have been observed to form tubers during the winter.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant            habit, outwardly spreading; freely branching with good stem            strength; flowers are single and positioned above and beyond            the foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 17.8 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 34.6 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15.6 cm. Diameter: About            5.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm. Aspect: Upright to            outwardly. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to            N199A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About            9.8 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate,            asymmetrical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin:            Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 144A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C; venation,            close to 144B. Petioles: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About            2.2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 174B            tinted with close to 184B. Stipules: Length: About 4.4 cm.            Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            137A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in axillary cymes;            usually about three to five flowers per cyme and about 18            cymes developing per plant; flowers positioned above and            beyond the foliar plane; flowers not pendulous.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about two            months after planting; in the garden, plants flower            continuously from the spring to late autumn in Japan;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Male flowers buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 185A.        -   Male flowers.—Shape: Cruciform. Diameter: About 5.5 cm.            Depth (height): About 3.3 cm. Tepals: Quantity and            arrangement: Four per flower in a single whorl. Length:            About 4.5 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Narrowly            lanceolate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 45B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 45D.        -   Female flowers buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About            6.6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 185A.        -   Female flowers.—Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 3.9 cm.            Depth (height): About 2.6 cm. Tepals: Quantity and            arrangement: Five per flower in a single whorl. Length:            About 3.2 cm. Width: About 7.2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45B. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 45D.        -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 8.2 mm.            Color: Close to 144B; towards the margin, close to 180A.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: Outwardly. Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter:            About 1.7 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            199B tinted with close to 182C.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: Outwardly. Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter:            About 1.4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            199B tinted with close to 179B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 34 per male            flower. Length: About 5.1 mm. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther            length: About 1.3 mm. Anther diameter: About 1 mm. Anther            color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 8D. Pistils: Quantity: One per female flower.            Length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Six-lobed, convoluted.            Stigma color: Close to 12B. Style color: Close to 12B. Ovary            length: About 8.4 mm. Ovary diameter: About 6 mm. Ovary            color: Close to 152D tinted with close to 44C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Postproduction longevity: Excellent postproduction longevity, plants    last about 220 days.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonias has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 14° C. to about 28° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Sunjirared’ asillustrated and described.